


Dick's Karaoke Fridays

by orphan_account



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan)
Genre: And Notes, Bat Family, Break ups and make ups, But Not Writing, Complicated Relationships, F/F, Fluff, I promise, I suck at tagging, Karaoke, M/M, Mild Language, Romance, and summaries, mild depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-07-20
Packaged: 2018-03-22 05:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3717238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce decides that Joker can't be kept by Arkham so he takes the clown prince of crime in himself.  Joker has loved Bruce for a long time and his heartbroken when Bruce doesn't seem to notice his presence at all.  Then Dick decides the Bat Family should have a karaoke Friday.  Joker walks in one day and finds that Bruce notices him far more when he's singing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry I haven't been posting much (read: at all) but I've been working on a original piece. Hope you like it! Song lyrics are at the bottom.

Joker leaned against the pillows on the bed he had been told was his.  Only, it wasn’t his, not really.  Bruce had taken him in, after he had decided Arkham couldn’t hold the clown prince of crime.  To be honest, Joker couldn’t believe that this wasn’t just a cruel trick, a hallucination induced by Arkham’s drugs.  The room was far too nice to be given to a prisoner, and Joker knew that was what he was.  Bats hadn’t taken him in because he wanted to be around him, wanted to help him.  No, it was just a matter of public safety, so for the good of Gotham, Bruce put up with him.  Joker picked at the food on the plate the butler had sent up for him.  It had become their routine.  Joker would get up, skip breakfast, hide away in his room, nibble on a little lunch, maybe step out onto his balcony and consider throwing himself from it just to shock Bruce into noticing him, and then mostly ignore the dinner Alfred brought him.  Today had been no different.

Joker had yet to laugh since he had been told Bruce was taking over custody of him.  Not even his hollow and forced manic giggles had crossed the man’s scarred lips.  Joker opened the door to set his plate in the hall and froze.  Music?  The clown prince couldn’t remember the last time he had just heard music playing that wasn’t in his head.  And he knew this wasn’t in his head because this was some horrible, techno, pop music.  Nothing like the echoey stuff he heard.  So Joker slipped out of his room and followed the sound, his bare feets padding softly on the plush carpet.  His ears led him downstairs into what the man supposed was the living room.  He had only seen it once before, and it had been rather lifeless then.  But now, there was a veritable crowd in there.  Two red headed chicks, two dark haired young men, the old one, Alfred, and Bruce.  And there was music, terrible music, but it was still music.  Joker slipped inside and stood by the door, listening with a slight smile on his face.  The younger man, Jason, had just finished his song, on Joke didn’t recognize.  The older redhead, Katherine stepped up and chose a new song on the screen in the corner.  The lyrics to Santana’s ”Black Magic Woman” appeared on screen.  Katherine tapped her foot gently to the beat and came in exactly on time.  

“Got a black magic woman.”  Katherine’s voice was rich and smooth, nothing like Santana but she made the song work.  Joke was lost in the melody, swaying slightly in his corner.  He song came to an end, and Dick stepped up, clapping.

“Let me see,” he announced, “I think Bruce is the only one who hasn’t gone yet.”

Barbara shook her head, “Nope, Bruce and Joker.”  She turned to him, “Don’t think you didn’t get noticed.  Do yo want to go?”

Joker bit his scarred lip and realized he hadn’t put his paint on.   His erratic eyes scanned the faces looking back at him.  “Um, okay.”

Bruce gestured to the screen.  Joker stepped over, and scrolled through the list of songs.  He stopped and selected one.  The opening bars of The Smith’s “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out” filled the room.  Joker poured himself into those words, all his fear, anger and pain.  The chattering fell silent as his high, pure voice sang out.  Joker look directly at Bruce, never once turning to words on screen.

“It’s not my home, it’s their home and I’m not welcome no more.” Joker’s eyes darted towards the collection of vigilantes in the room.  His song came to an end and Joker stepped away, turning towards the door.

“Hey!” Dick called after him, “We’re making this a weekly thing.  Join us next time?”

Joker didn’t answer and fled back to his room.

As he sat on his bed, Joker decided that he would join them next Friday.  For the first time in weeks, Joker fell asleep with a reason to wake up the next day.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Joker was better, he was fine.  The clown got up, he put on some of his bright clothes.  The man pulled out his grease paints, but they felt suffocating, like a mask instead of his second skin.  Joker opted instead for a bit of eyeliner and a touch of lipstick.  The Clown Prince Of Crime dug out his cards again.  Of course, he only played with himself.  Even now, Joker had enough personalities to do that.  He didn’t, God forbid, leave his room.  Still, Joker was fine, he was good.

At least for a little while.  By Monday, Joker had fallen back into his depression.  He felt as though he was in mourning, although the clown wasn’t sure who had died.

“Maybe it’s me,” he questioned an empty room, “Maybe I’m the one who has died, or at least a part of me.  What was left of my sanity maybe?”

Joker went back to staring off his balcony, wishing for the courage to fall.

…

Alfred steeled himself and raised a hand to knock on the mahogany door.  The sound echoed through the quiet manor.

“Joker?”

There was no response.  Alfred cautiously pushed the door open, afraid of what he may find.  The butler slipped inside, closing the door behind him.  It too Alfred a moment to locate Joker.  The Clown was sitting in the far corner, his knees pulled up to his chest.  Alfred walked over to him and sat on the bed across from them.  Joker’s electric eyes were held shut.

“Joker, come to dinner.”

The man remained silent.  If not for his shallow breathing, Alfred might wonder if he was dead.

He tried again, “Bruce hasn’t come out of his room either you know.  Not since you locked yourself in here again.”

Joker’s eyes popped open.  The once vibrant gaze seemed clouded.

The man’s voice was scratch when he spoke, “What?”

Alfred hid his satisfaction at Joker’s reaction well.  “Bruce refuses to leave his room.  We’re worried.  I can’t get through to him at all.”

“Then what are you doing here if he’s the one you’re so worried about?”

“I think you can get through to him  where I cannot.”

Joker rolled his eyes.

“Bruce cares for you, far more than he should.  If you care for him half as much as he cares for you, you’ll help him.”

Joker slid his legs out in front of him, leaning his elbows on his knees.  He shook his head slowly, “Now, ya see, I don’t think you have any idea what, ah, you’re talking about.”

Alfred raised his eyebrows.

“See, if Brucie-bat actually um, cared, for little old me, then I wouldn’t be rotting here.”

“He-” started Alfred.

Joker raised a finger, “I know, I know.  Responsibility.  We couldn’t have, ah, a criminal like me running around, now could we?  No, no, no.  If he really cared, Bruce would have just ended it.”

Alfred was shocked, “You mean to say, Bruce can’t care about you because he hasn’t killed you?”

“Hm, yeah.  I know he’s no, ah, stupid.  Bats had to know that every time I picked a fight with him, I hoped, um, that he wouldn’t let me walk away.”

The  butler was shocked, and not the least horrified.  He knew the Joker was crazy, even suspected the man was suicidal, but nothing like this.

“Joker, Bruce can’t kill you.  He doesn’t trust himself not to keep going, keep hurting people.”

“But I’m not a person.  I’m an animal.” Joker spat.

Alfred shook his head, “No, you’re not.  An I want you to prove it to me.”

“Do you actually think, ah, I could do anything but hurt him more?”

The butler nodded, “Yes.  You could save him.”  He neglected to vocalize the rest of his thought, maybe he could save you too.  Alfred was frightened by this thought.  He hated Joker.  He wanted to man gone, away from Bruce forever.  Although, maybe, just maybe, Joker could be redeemed.

The Clown sighed, “Fine.  I’ll come.  One sec.”

Joker dragged himself to his feet and disappeared into the bathroom.  The man stared at his reflection and fought the urge to smash the mirror.  He took a shaky breath, What did I just agree to?  Joker dug through his makeup bag and pulled out a eye compact and crimson lipstick.  As he carefully applied a light layer of charcoal eye shadow, Joker wondered why he was even bothering.  Yes, he was falling for Bruce.  Had fallen for.  Whatever.

**Author's Note:**

> Black Magic Woman - Santana
> 
> Got a black magic woman  
> Got a black magic woman.
> 
> I got a black magic woman  
> Got me so blind I can't see  
> That she's a black magic woman  
> She's tryin' to make a devil out of me.
> 
> Turn your back on me baby  
> Turn your back on me baby.
> 
> Yes, don't turn your back on me baby  
> Stop messin' eround with your tricks  
> Don't turn your back on me baby  
> You just might pick up my magic sticks.
> 
> Got your spell on me baby  
> Got your spell on me baby.
> 
> Yes you got your spell on me baby  
> Turning my heart into stone  
> I need you so bad - magic woman  
> I can't leave you alone.
> 
>  
> 
> There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - The Smiths
> 
> Take me out tonight  
> Where there's music and there's people  
> And they're young and alive  
> Driving in your car  
> I never never want to go home  
> Because I haven't got one  
> Anymore
> 
> Take me out tonight  
> Because I want to see people and I  
> Want to see life  
> Driving in your car  
> Oh, please don't drop me home  
> Because it's not my home, it's their  
> Home, and I'm welcome no more
> 
> And if a double-decker bus  
> Crashes into us  
> To die by your side  
> Is such a heavenly way to die  
> And if a ten-ton truck  
> Kills the both of us  
> To die by your side  
> Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine
> 
> Take me out tonight  
> Take me anywhere, I don't care  
> I don't care, I don't care  
> And in the darkened underpass  
> I thought oh God, my chance has come at last  
> (But then a strange fear gripped me and I  
> Just couldn't ask)
> 
> Take me out tonight  
> Oh, take me anywhere, I don't care  
> I don't care, I don't care  
> Driving in your car  
> I never never want to go home  
> Because I haven't got one, da  
> Oh, I haven't got one
> 
> And if a double-decker bus  
> Crashes into us  
> To die by your side  
> Is such a heavenly way to die  
> And if a ten-ton truck  
> Kills the both of us  
> To die by your side  
> Well, the pleasure - the privilege is mine
> 
> Oh, there is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out  
> There is a light and it never goes out


End file.
